Scripted video of 'faith healer' from Bangladesh shared with false communal spin

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media purportedly shows a faith 'healer' wearing an Islamic cap inappropriately touching women under the guise of curing illnesses. The footage depicts the man making physical contact with women who have apparently sought his help for various ailments.

One post on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with a caption, translated from Hindi: "A new mullah in the market. Treats women's stomach, back, and backside; thousands visit him daily."

Another account, 'Mr Sinha,' known for spreading misinformation, shared the video on X with the caption: "What kind of idiocy is it? I blame these women for going to such frauds... And if something goes wrong, everybody will blame the govt.." These posts collectively garnered over 4.8 million views. Archived versions of the posts are available here and here.

X posts claiming the video shows a religious healer harassing women. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, our investigation reveals that this video is being shared with a false and communally divisive claim.

What is the truth?

A reverse image search of keyframes from the video led us to a longer version posted on a Facebook page called Peace Tv BD on January 30, 2024. The caption shared with the clip read: "Viral video of Mawa Ragi Pir's treatment."

Upon viewing this 13-minute video, we discovered a disclaimer in Bengali at the end, stating: "Protecting ourselves from such Babas is our and your responsibility. Directed by Peace Tv." This indicates that the video is scripted and does not depict a real incident. 

The disclaimer at the end of the video in Bengali. (Source: Peace Tv BD/Facebook)

Further investigation of the Peace Tv BD Facebook page revealed numerous videos addressing various religious issues. Actors seen in this video, including the 'healer' and an assistant dressed in red, appear in other videos on the page playing different characters.

The same actors appear in other videos on the Facebook Page. (Source: Peace Tv BD/Facebook)

The Peace Tv BD Facebook page also links to two YouTube channels: Mahc Drama Tv and Al Aksa Tv, both of which feature similar content. The 'About' pages of these channels describe them as "The Largest Islamic Content and Producer organization in Bangladesh," producing content on Islamic issues, interviews, educational events, news, short films, Islamic dramas, and more.

This evidence confirms that the video is a scripted production and does not depict a 'Muslim faith healer' harassing women.

The verdict

The video in question is a scripted production created by a Bangladeshi educational channel, as evidenced by the disclaimer at the end. It is being shared on social media with a false and communally charged claim.